Delegations from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened in Baghdad, Iraq, to align their diplomatic positions on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held on October 17 and 18, 2026.
Operating under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Fundamental Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development,” the three member nations of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) coordinated interventions to project a unified stance throughout the proceedings and advance their regional priorities within the broader Islamic community.
The strategic consultations focused on advancing specific AES resolutions, advocating for the operational reinforcement of the OIC regional office in Niger, and aligning candidate endorsement strategies within the OIC’s African Group. The talks expanded beyond diplomatic and security affairs to encompass cultural initiatives, with delegates coordinating promotion plans for the upcoming Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), scheduled to take place in Burkina Faso from February 27 to March 6, 2027.
Burkina Faso’s delegation was led by its ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Boukary Savadogo, alongside senior multilateral and Afro-Arab cooperation officials. Opened by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, the ministerial gathering provided the Sahelian confederation with an influential multilateral platform to strengthen partnerships with OIC member states, enhance regional representation, and secure institutional backing for its developmental and security objectives.
TE/lb/abj/APA